"glass half empty / glass half full" --I think this is a flawed analogy,?

Question

because in any snapshot of time, 99% of all glasses will be empty. What do you think??

Answer 1

The analogy of glass is half empty or half full conveys a very deep-rooted meaning! It indicates that the whole Cosmos has a dual nature. If we have God... we also have Satan (both equal in power... one at plus hundred and the other at minus hundred). We have day... we also have night. We have fire... we also have water. We have plus... we also have minus. All the analogies indicate equal power.



What is it that differentiates the two? One is indicative of the positive power of the Cosmos and the other the negative power of the Cosmos. And in between live human beings and all manifest life. At any given point of time we either invoke positive thoughts from the reservoir of mind plus or negative thoughts from the reservoir of mind minus.



As expressed in the Anekantavada theory of Jainism... both the viewpoints may be correct. We either perceive the glass as half full or half empty. One who dwells in negative thoughts sees the glass half empty. One who dwells in positive thoughts sees the glass as half full. The difference lies only in perception... the object remaining the same!



In the journey of life we find all human beings divided between the two. Some perceive the glass half full and others half empty. Those who perceive the glass half full always live a life of contentment. Those who perceive the glass half empty practice a bickering attitude towards life... they never feel happy come whatever may!



Between success and failure lie our dormant desires. To be successful in life we need to perceive the glass half full... not under pressure but willfully. All optimists view the glass half full... pessimists half empty! If we pray to God... we develop a godly nature in time. Indulging in wanton desires and materialistic riches... one develops satanic nature (a wicked attitude towards others).



To choose and what to choose is the sole prerogative of every human being. More on mind power - http://www.godrealized.org/mind_a_universal_phenomenon.html

Answer 2

No, I don't think it's flawed. The analogy is if there is a glass sitting on the table with 1/2 the fluid it could possible hold in it....do you see it as half-empty or half-full? It doesn't really matter if every other glass in the cabinet is empty...only the one glass that has liquid is important to the analogy.



Edit: I rarely see empty glasses because they're usually behind cabinet doors, waiting to be half-full LOL!. When I see an empty glass, it's usually only empty for a few minutes until I pour something into it. Maybe if you have cabinets with glass doors or you work in a bar or restaurant...then yes, maybe you'd be predisposed to view the glass as empty. I have wood cabinets, so I'm more apt to think of a glass with something in it.

Answer 3

Dear, does something have to be perfect, for the analogy to work?

Man is imperfect. How can they be capable of conjuring perfection?



Let me explain.



You are thirsty. You see a half-full glass, you drink it heartily--happily enjoying the bulk you have been treated to.



You are thirsty. You see a half empty glass... you drink it sparingly, knowing that it will soon be empty and you shall have no water to drink; and therefore your mood is foul.



99% of all glasses are empty. That might be true, but what does seeing so many empty glasses in one's life have to do with the way one sees a half-empty, or half-full glass?



It's basically just a term that seperates an optimistic person, from a pessimistic one. In fact it should not even be viewed in a literal sense!

Answer 4

It is flawed. Manny hit on it somewhat in his answer. Regardless of where a glass is kept when you need to use it, it starts out empty and then you fill it. If you want it half full you FILL it halfway. If I want a half a glass of milk I'd ask to have a glass filled half way with milk, I wouldn't ask to have milk added to a glass until it was half empty. When my gas gage reads half, it means it's half full of gas, I have a half a tank of gas. My reasoning is that all containers start empty and you add whatever to them. As they fill up you address the volume that is filling the container, not the remaining empty space. Take a 4 ounce glass add 1 ounce and it's 1/4 full not 3/4 empty, add 2 ounces it's half full not half empty, add 3 ounces it's 3/4 full not 1/4 empty, add 4 ounces it's full not unempty ( made up word) pour everything out and it's empty not unfull (another made up word). I hope you get the idea of what I'm trying to say. I only have 2 years of college back in 1980 and never had a philosophy class.

Answer 5

Every joke has been told. All the optimists are here All the realists and pessimists have come too. Regarding am I a "glass is half empty" or a "glass is half full" type person", as the Bible says, "My Cup Runneth Over". Cheers to all and Merry Christmas from a Jew who does not celebrate Christmas, but wishes all my senior friends the best Christmas ever.

Answer 6

Thanks for the explanatory note to Manny.



I disagree. Most glasses that are empty in my home are in closed cabinets. I may glance at them, but I spend more time looking at a glass filled ... half filled ... then empty that I'm drinking from.



Same things with advertisements prominently displayed on billboards. Coke, Captain Morgan, etc show glasses full of their products.



Interesting psychological question to a philosophical/psychological analogy though. Perhaps you should see if you could get a grant to study it.



Peace

Answer 7

All glasses are empty.



Whatever you put in the glass doesn't become the glass, nor fill it in a way that the glass desires.



If I fill you with mud, are you filled? No, you would still be empty, and longing for that which is other than mud.



Glasses cannot be filled. Just like they cannot be emptied. They are just glasses. Whether they contain air, water, rocks or a vacuum, they're just glasses.

Answer 8

I think its flawed. And this is significant because when someone asks you "do you see this glass as half empty or half full", and you say half empty, then acccording to the ananogy you are a pessimist, even though you may be a total optimist. Its a "rigged" test, even though its just casual for fun.

Answer 9

If the glass is empty 99% of the time, then shouldn't we just say that any time the glass is not empty, it is in a state of bizarre?



Not half full. Not half empty. Just bizarre.

Answer 10

The glass is neither half full, nor half empty - its twice as large as it needs to be!

Answer 11

I think people are more complicated the that.

They understand what the analogy means, despite seeing mostly empty glasses.

Give people some credit.

Answer 12

I wrote a song about a drunk woman.

The line is...

I knew that she had never seen a glass

That only looked half full...



Meaning it was full when the bartender handed it to her and completely empty soon after!

Answer 13

My glass fell to the floor and shattered, then I sliced my foot open on the glass.

Answer 14

you must be the 1/2 empty type.

Answer 15

It's a lesson in perspective. No two views will ever be exactly alike, even between twins. Measure and compare.

Answer 16

It only leads me to another question. Is there really any such thing as a half-truth?

Answer 17

ha ha ha ha ha

state of bizarre, thats great.

Answer 18

I don't get it...huh?